Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Judge approves end to U.S. decree overseeing Teamsters

A federal judge late Tuesday approved a landmark settlement that will phase out and end the government’s oversight and 25-year consent decree to keep mob influence out of the 1.4 million-member union.

Chief U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska said in a four-page ruling that a “thorough review of the final agreement and order reveals that the settlement must be approved.” She added that “there is no doubt that the decree is procedurally proper, that its terms are clear, that it reflects a resolution of the claims at issue, and that it is untainted by collusion or corruption.”

In January, the U.S. attorney in New York asked Preska to end the consent order that’s been in place since March 1989. The consent decree is replaced by a final order, in which the government’s continued role in the internal affairs of the Teamsters Union will be phased out over a five-year period that will end in February 2020.

The approval is a big win for Teamsters President Jim Hoffa, who has spent years working to end the government’s oversight.